Why I’ll be buying a Wii U at launch

There's a lot of great stuff in this article, and many of the things we've discussed he makes excellent points on. I loved this paragraph, though:

"I haven’t played several new console games because my Xbox 360 went kaput (for the third time) and was no longer covered under warranty. I couldn’t find any reason why I should waste money replacing it when the Wii U was already announced and capable of playing the same games. My excitement might be less if Microsoft made reliable hardware."

Bwaahahahaha.

He also talks about the power of the system, which is good because I was starting to feel grumpy. I know I defended it before, but I was getting annoyed that Nintendo would charge us $350 for something that isn't obviously powerful enough that people don't question it. XBox 360 is more than 5 years old. My PC dominates it in power and it did not cost as much as a 360 or even the Wii U even a couple of years ago when I got it. Why can't Ninty spring for just a little more power so that nobody can doubt it? They don't have to go hyper-overboard like we all know M$ and Soony will. Just, y'know- aim a little higher than only slightly over the current gen? He did point out that the Wii U runs at a straight 1080p, which neither other console can do. They only upscale.

Here's how I see it: When you're given that extra something, you start to depend on it. Nintendo may just want the devs to focus more on gameplay than how it looks/framerate/texture etc, regardless of where the market "thinks" its priorities should be.

And I realize framerate and those other things I mentioned are still important. Just to clarify.

Everyone said the Wii was underpowered, alienated 3rd party devs... I am so sick of the complaining. If thats the way you feel, fine. Don't get all butt hurt when I quote sales and saturation data that says the Wii trounced the other two. Don't get all pissed when I give you AAA titles like Skyward Sword or Monster Hunter Tri (so popular on a Nintendo platform that 4 is a 3DS exclusive, sorry Sony! :3) and say the Wii's catalog doesn't rival its... rivals. Its pure taste.

I can give you 50 games on Wii I at least enjoyed. I cannot say the same for PS3 and especially ESPECIALLY not for 360. I own(ed) both, bought as many titles as I could that interested me. Not even close to 50 games. Not. Even. Close.

Amen.

I just wish they wouldn't give such obvious fuel for the competition. This is their chance to dominate. I worry that when the copycats arrive with systems that are 4x or more powerful, Wii U sales will drop to nothing and people will somehow mistake it for last gen.

Will Wii U be more fun? Undoubtedly, but I don't think enough people take that into consideration anymore. They at least could have gone with a stronger CPU. I know how I explained that clock speed is misleading, but it is still a force multiplier. A strong CPU is very important for things like good AI and number of enemies at once and myriad other behind the scenes things that make a game better.

"that CAN make a game better." I understand what yer saying though.

James Andrews is concerned about next-generation consoles. "What's so special about the wiiU? it's just a wii with Playstation 3 graphics and a tablet. Come on Nintendo be more creative!"

Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/wii-u-price-release-date-features-nintendo-buzz-grows-as-new-console-nears#ixzz283lrFdlz

Really, dude? Isn't a PS3 just an HD PS2 with a recently-added crappy Wiimote attached? You call Nintendo uncreative and then compare them to Sony? What are you- an idiot?

There will always be haters. Even if the Wii U had a CPU leagues better the focus would be on that they don't like the new GamePad and don't want to pay for a Pro Controller. Sometime in the near future Sony and Microsoft are going to come out with a new system and I bet they are going to have a controller with a screen on it. But the same people that complained about the GamePad are going to embrace the others and give points as to why it is so much better.

They have predicted the demise of Nintendo in the hardware category dating back to the Nintendo 64 era and Nintendo continues to blaze the innovative path that those with open minds and prefer fun over specs continue to purchase. I don't know how many times I've been told "mark my words, Nintendo will not" do this or that. Well mark my words! Nintendo WILL and continue to do so in a way you can't predict, that goes against the grain, and captures an audience that no one else can (until it is copied that is).

I will be buying a Wii U at launch because I see huge potential and the launch is better than any I've seen for a Nintendo console. eShop games, Miiverse and Nintendo TVii at launch is exciting because we didn't get any online games at launch for Wii. I will also buy a Wii U at launch because there is a better chance that my launch system will last unlike anything Microsoft puts out. My first Wii died after 2 years, but that's nothing when compared to people that have continued to buy 360's 6 times over. Ridiculous. No wonder sales are so high for that system...and still way behind the Wii.

Another point that is brought up is that a lot of the third party stuff in the launch window is already playable on other consoles. Well for those that game primarily on Nintendo consoles this is the first time we are going to experience them plus the version Wii U gets is better. Better graphics, more content, improved gameplay, or all of the above. This was the way those companies could be there day 1 and I'm sure more original and new multi platform titles will come in the months to follow.

Graphics are just the icing on the cake, but knowing I'll be playing all these first party titles for the first time in HD has got me excited because I know the gameplay will still be top shelf.

Will Wii U be as big as Wii? Maybe not. Wii will eventually hit 100 million but something tells me that Wii U will still be able to hit numbers in the 70m range.

Finally the reason I will be buying a Wii U at launch is because I don't want to be caught up in the rat race for 2 years trying to get one. If preorders are any indication, the holidays are going to get violent.

All fanbois.

You're right about haters, but some are not haters- they're just not very bright. A little more power is a little more future-resistant, not to mention will, in fact, convince the simple-minded who only see specs. (Yes, those same people will also jump ship in a few years anyway, so there is that.)

This article is just... wow. Read it all. It gives Nintendo some serious knocks, but it is, (unlike so many others,) well thought out and mostly fair. It speaks to a lot of the fears I have, including how the Wii-U's power will be eclipsed its competitors, but then points out in a very realistic way how the Wii-U will still end up dominating the next generation, and not just on sales. It explains how 3rd party support will not evaporate when the other, stronger systems come out. An excellent and encouraging read. (READ IT, TRIZ!)

It does point to the shortcomings of the Wii, that we all know of quite well, but how that all didn't matter even with it being the severely underpowered system as soon as it launched. There were some games that were ported down if the developer thought it would sell, such as Activisions Call of Duty, which still sold more than a million units on the Wii.

Its encouraging to know that the Wii U will have what the Wii didn't, and that is some time (1 or 2 years) as the most powerful console on the market. Combine that with all the reasons the author pointed out about easily scaling down future titles for Wii U hardware, exclusive core titles, and the comparable online experience and it's easy to see how Nintendo could be ready to win its 4th console war.

Nintendo took this generation with an underpowered system riding high on the waves of first party franchises. Can Nintendo's new system with HD graphics and enough power for the core gamers while still catering to the casual market take the industry crown again? Now that is a stupid question with an obvious answer.

You're right. The haters will always knock Nintendo, but I can only hope the uninformed get informed real quick.

i was trying to say it was showing how the Wii U will dominate in a way the Wii never did.

The article made me raise my fist in triumph!!!!!! LOL

Antilles wrote:

i was trying to say it was showing how the Wii U will dominate in a way the Wii never did.

That too.